Cyber risks are growing in an increasingly contested international order. In the context of growing great Case study: WannaCry power competition and increasing challenges to the WannaCry ransomware spread across the international rules-based order, state-sponsored actors are using cyber tools for geopolitical advantage. The number of state-sponsored cyber operations is rising and more governments are openly developing offensive cyber capabilities. Cyber tools have been used by state-sponsored globe in May 2017 in one of the most disruptive cyber attacks to date. Ransomware is a kind of malicious software that locks up the files on a computer system until a sum of money is paid. actors to steal sensitive commercial information, WannaCry affected over 200,000 computers in to disrupt critical systems and to interfere with at least 100 countries. The United Kingdom’s democratic processes. National Health Service was particularly badly …So New Zealand must be ready to deter and respond to threats affected, with systems down in hospitals across New Zealand must stand up for responsible state The attack also affected major companies, behaviour in cyberspace, and advocate for an international rules-based order that promotes a stable and peaceful online environment. New Zealand must also be ready to deter and respond to cyber threats when they arise. As all nations improve their cyber security, and where users respond to one cyber security challenge, malicious actors will seek new vulnerabilities and the United Kingdom, forcing the cancellation of nearly 20,000 hospital appointments. including French car manufacturer Renault and international shipping company FedEX. In December 2017, New Zealand publicly highlighted its close partners’ attribution of the attack to North Korea. The United States has subsequently charged a North Korean hacker in connection with this attack. opportunities. New Zealand must stay towards the front of the pack so that it does not become a target of choice – we want to erect barriers against malicious actors. There is no simple way to articulate the cyber security risk to New Zealand, because the threats are so diverse. The challenges for home-users are not necessarily the same challenges that our largest companies face. But it is clear that trust and confidence in the internet and our internet infrastructure is vital for New Zealand and New Zealanders: for our economy, for our society, and for our national security. We all need to take action to maintain that trust. New Zealand’s cyber security strategy 2019 5